IRONMAN® World Championships

Logan was able to start his day in Kona with a well-rounded breakfast that he knows his stomach can tolerate, full of simple carbohydrates (rice and honey), plus protein and fat sources to sustain his energy levels for several hours. Right before the race started, he pre-fueled with both a PF 30 Gel and PF 30 Caffeine Gel to ensure he had as much energy on board as possible. During the bike portion, he relied on a PF 300 Flow Gel and 2 x PF 90s, topped off with the bit of carb found in the PH 1500 (Drink Mix) in his bottles. Logan continued this straightforward and ‘decoupled’ approach on the run, taking the guesswork out of hitting his numbers and likely reducing the risk of any gastrointestinal (GI) distress in the hot conditions with PF 90 Gels, PF 30 Gels and a final PF 30 Caffeine Gel.

After receiving a Sweat Test with the PF&H Team at the expo on the ground in Kona, Logan was actually able to reduce his planned sodium intake to match his sweat sodium concentration, confidently knowing he’d be replacing his relative losses. Before the sweat test, he was consuming higher rates of sodium as he wasn’t sure how much he required. Reducing his sodium intake will reduce the osmotic pressure (amount of ‘things’ compared to fluid in drinks or ultimately the stomach) of fluids he consumes during the race, increasing the rate of fluid and carb absorption and importantly reducing the risk of GI distress, which he has experienced in the past (but successfully avoided this time!).

Logan was on the higher end of the caffeine intake recommendations 3-6mg/kg and this likely supported his energy throughout the day. He had doses of caffeine before the race, throughout the bike and early on in the run. These timings were strategic, as delaying caffeine intake until the last hour of the run would likely have been too late to make a difference in energy levels, given caffeine usually takes 45-60 minutes to be fully absorbed into the bloodstream.